Down this lonely road I live along
by Jynx999
Summary: Max had come a long way since his childhood, he had overcome many adversities in his life. His mother and father had split up when he was only 12 years old, although he loved them both their bickering and constant battling meant his mother applied for and won full custody of him and he never got to see his father again. (Never seen a story about Max's life yet so here we go.)
1. Prologue

**So this is something a little different but I was watching old episode and have found a love for Max and after picking up on little hints and tips that have been thrown into the episodes hinting at his life I decided to use some dramatic licence and write a fic based on him.**

 **I'm not 100% if I want this fic to have Zoe and Max as a couple or not in this? What are you guys opinions?**

 **Let me know what you think. I haven't done a multichapter in a while and its the first time in a while I havent had Cal or Ethan at the centre (although they will probably pop up somewhere in this) so any feedback would be great.**

 _ **This chapter is based in the past. More of a prologue.**_

Max had come a long way since his childhood, he had overcome many adversities in his life. His mother and father had split up when he was only 12 years old, although he loved them both their bickering and constant battling meant his mother applied for and won full custody of him and he never got to see his father again.

As much as he loved his mother he could never forgive her for what she did. She remarried a man, Jed, who Max couldn't see eye to eye with at all. He moved in with his daughter who was a couple of years older than Max but they got along like a house on fire. Max loved having an older sister, but struggled to deal with the man who brought her, however grateful he was.

At age 16 Max had went out to a mates birthday party, he came home in a state and stumbled into the house at half 2 in the morning waking everyone up. Jed, kicked off. His Mum kicked off. Robyn rubbed his back as he threw up in the toilet and cleaned the few cuts on his face and knuckles that he had gained on his walk home.

"You need to be more careful… you don't want to make my Dad angry." Robyn warned Max.

"I'm not scared of him." Max said confidently.

"You should be." She sighed and lifted his shirt slightly to check his abdomen.

Max grabbed his shirt and pulled it back down quickly but Robyn had already seen what lay beneath.

"Max? What is that?" Robyn questioned frowning at him.

"None of your business." He shook his head.

"I know exactly what it is Max. What happened?" She sighed and lifted his shirt again, glad that he didn't fight her away.

"I just fell ok?" Max fobbed her off.

Robyn looked at him carefully before down at his black and blue abdomen. She could see clear hand marks and bruises that were in the shape of a boot. There was some more sever bruising by his ribs. She pressed her hand gently against the bottom of his ribcage causing him to wince and pull his shirt in place again and move away still in his drunken state.

"No, Robyn. Forget it." Max told her.

"Tell me Max. Who did this?" She questioned and Max just shook his head. "He did it didn't he?"

Max looked at her. "Look Robyn, I stole something from him and he got angry. It was my fault."

"You're 16 Max, you're a child and he hit you?" She sighed sadly. "We need to get out of here."

"You're leaving for uni next week. You will be away from it all." Max smiled at her.

"What about you though? I can't take you with me but I can't leave you here." She told him clearly worried.

"I have plans alright? I'm going to find my father, I'll get away from here and start college and study music…" Max smiled. "It will be fine. Don't worry."

"I wish I had your optimism Max I really do." She looked at him. "I can delay my university… wait a year help you out."

"No, you have worked too hard for this. You are going to go and be a nurse and save lives Robyn." He smiled gently. "Make your Mum proud ey?"

Robyn smiled sadly at the mention of her Mum who had died just before she came to live with Max and his Mum.

"We both need to do this." Max told her.

Robyn nodded. "As long as you keep in touch yeah? And get yourself checked over too, you must be in pain."

"Nothing I can't handle." Max smiled at her before he lay down, content and hoping his hangover would not be too brutal the next day.


	2. Chapter 1

It was the early shift and Max, alongside Zoe trotted in through the ED doors both laughing and smiling.

"Max!" Robyn spoke annoyed as she walked towards him.

"What have I done now?" Max rolled his eyes.

"Don't you ever answer your phone?" She asked him. "I have been trying to call you."

"I left it in my locker, didn't think it would be such a big deal…" He told her confused. "What's the emergency anyway?"

Robyn sighed and looked at him not really wanting to speak.

Zoe looked between them before speaking. "Do you want to use my office to talk Robyn?"

"Please." Robyn nodded.

"What's going on… I'm worried now." Max frowned.

"I will explain, just come on." Robyn rolled her eyes and headed for Zoe's office with Max in tow.

Robyn stood beside the desk fiddling with her hands nervously, Zoe sat behind her desk and Max on the sofa staring at his step-sister worried about what she was going to say.

"What is it Robyn? Just spit it out." Max spoke getting agitated.

"Mum called." Robyn told him. "Your Dad, he um…"

"He what Robyn?" Max pushed.

"He died, yesterday. In prison." She told him quietly.

Max looked at her, he felt his body go hot and cold as he took in the information. He felt Zoe take a seat beside him and put and arm around him but he shrugged it off and stood up.

"In prison?" Max questioned.

"Something about position of drugs. He had a heart attack out of the blue." Robyn told him. "I'm so sorry."

Zoe then got to her feet and rubbed Max's arm. "You should go. Be with your Mum."

"No. No I have a shift and I am working it." He shook his head.

"Max, seriously." Zoe sighed. "You shouldn't be here."

"Fine. I will go then shall I!?" He grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the office.

"Max…" Robyn called after him but he continued to walk. "He doesn't deal with this sort of thing very well…" She informed Zoe.

Zoe sighed and sat back down behind her desk and looked at Robyn.

"Was he close to his Dad?" She asked.

"Idolized him when he was young. His Mum stopped him seeing him. Married my Dad but he wasn't great to either of us." Robyn explained. "I left for uni Max tried and failed to find his Dad, ended up mixing with the wrong types of people…"

"His band? He's told me all about them." Zoe smiled.

Robyn nodded nervously. "Yeah. He went downhill very quickly."

"Down hill?" Zoe frowned. "He skipped that bit…"

"It's really not my place Zoe." Robyn made to leave.

"Robyn, please." Zoe begged.

"I can't. It's in the past now it doesn't matter." Robyn spoke before leaving the office and heading back to work.

Zoe sat back in her chair, she couldn't help but worry about Max. For such a young man he seemed to have a lot of secret history.

 **Not the best... Hmmm. Very unsure of where I am going with this now. Any ideas?**


	3. Chapter 2

Max wondered the streets of Holby, he didn't know how he felt. Upset? Not really. Angry? A little. Confused? Shocked? Disappointed? That was more like it. He hadn't felt like this is years, he wanted an escape.

He walked down the streets of Holby, he didn't consciously know where he was going, but his legs seemed dead set on their intended destination. After about half an hour of walking he found himself outside of an old abandoned corner shop. He looked at the door as he felt his phone vibrate. He glanced at it seeing it was Zoe calling, he rejected the call, slipped his phone back into his pocket and climbed into the building.

"Robyn? Have you heard from Max yet? It's been hours…" Zoe asked clearly growing more and more concerned.

"No. I've tried to call but he isn't picking up. He obviously wants to deal with it on his own." She sighed.

"I need to find him…" Zoe told her.

"Wouldn't know where to look, besides we can't really leave right now. Max knows where we are if he needs us." Robyn told her convincingly just and the red phone began to ring.

"Well I'm going nowhere now am I?" Zoe rolled her eyes as she answered the phone.

Max lay looking up at the ceiling, the many lit candles that brightened the room made the ceiling about him dance in front of his eyes as he felt his whole body relax and his mind clear. A warm sensation throughout his body made him feel calm and happy, for the first time in a long time he felt safe.

He picked up his phone and dialed Zoe's number before holding the phone to his ear and sitting himself up laughing at his own lack of strength.

Zoe had been busy but had rushed out of resus when she saw Max's name appear on her phone.

"Max!? How are you? Are you ok?" She asked concerned.

"Me? I'm on top of the world." Max laughed hysterically.

"Are you drunk?" Zoe frowned.

"Drunk? No. No I'm not drunk. Just happy." Max sang down the phone and clumsily got to his feet. "Me and you, dinner tonight?"

"Well you sound it. We can have dinner if you want to yes. Are you sure you're ok?" Zoe asked again.

"I told you…" He slurred as he tried to walk out the door. "I'm fine." He no sooner spoke when his body began to heave and he vomited on the floor in front of him.

"No you're not. Where are you?" Zoe questioned after hearing the commotion.

"Um… friends. I'll come. I'll come to the hospital." Max told her. "I won't be long."

"Ok Max. Get a taxi. I will see you when you get here." Zoe said and hung up before going to find Robyn in the staffroom.

"Max has been on the phone." Zoe told her.

"Oh good, how did he sound?" Robyn asked.

"He sounded odd. He seemed happy, a little too happy but I'm pretty sure I heard him vomit while he was on the phone." Zoe frowned waiting for Robyn's reaction.

Robyn didn't know what to say, she had a good idea of what had gone on but didn't want to admit it to neither herself nor Zoe although she assumed the consultant had probably worked it out for herself.

"Robyn? Has Max ever experimented with drugs?" Zoe asked outright. She wasn't sure if it was the best way to approach it but if it had happened before there was every chance it could happen again.

Robyn looked at her and sighed. "In the past yeah, but it was a long time ago when he had a lot on. He wouldn't do it again. He promised."

"Robyn I hate to say it but there is every chance he could go back to that place in his head where drugs are the only escape. With the news he's just been given and the way he was on the phone. I would put money on it." Zoe sighed sadly.

"I will kill him." Robyn shook her head.

"Getting angry at him won't help. For him to do what he has done he must be in a bad place." She explained. "I will see to him, get him sorted and into a cubicle. Try to keep things quiet ok?"

Robyn was angry but nodded and agreed anyway. She didn't want to see Max in a state, she never liked it. The euphoric high and then the lowest of lows to follow. She knew she was going to have to keep her distance for the remainder of her shift.

Zoe left the staffroom and went to the entrance to wait for Max. She could spot him a mile off, practically skipping to the ED. He grinned as he reached her and went to give her a hug but she stepped aside.

"Zoe?" Max frowned.

"I think you need to come with me and have a lay down in a cubicle don't you?" She asked him keeping her voice low.

"But I'm having fun." He laughed.

"Keep your voice down." She muttered.

Zoe grabbed his hand and led him through the ED and straight into a free cubicle and got him onto the bed.

"What you taken?" Zoe asked.

"Nothing." Max shook his head.

"Don't treat me like an idiot Max, you have taken something. It's blaringly obvious." She shook her head.

"Cocaine…" He whispered.

"Well that was sensible wasn't it?" Zoe sighed. "Stay here, sleep it off, I will get you on a drip and try to flush it through your system. Then you need to sleep it off and have something to eat. Then we will deal with what we have to do."

Max just nodded and lay back. Zoe rolled up his sleeve to take a look at the injection site. She gave it a clean and put a plaster on it before getting his drip up and running and leaving him to sleep.

 **Not happy with this still but I've started and I am going to keep it going and hope it gets better. Any suggestions woul be good. What would you like to see happen? J x**


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